In the series premiere, he trudges through the jungles of Vietnam in search of a giant water bug that can kill and eat animals 10 times its size. Along the way, he literally hangs out with a huge python, finds a water scorpion and grabs a deadly monocle cobra by the tail (see clip below).

In later episodes he searches for the giant huntsman spider in Laos, the black hair thick-tailed scorpion in Namibia, the world's largest centipede in Venezuela, the giant white goliath beetle in Cameroon, army ants in Ecuador, giant honeybees in Malaysia and the Guatemalan beaded lizard in, yep, Guatemala.

Monaghan syas he's always had a passion for animals--the creepy-crawlier the better. But his passion isn't restricted to the finding the beasties. He also tastes the food and samples the sites and customs of the countries he visits. In the premiere, he can't wait to try steamed penis and balls of goat.

"I haven't had that since last Thursday, so I'm really excited," he deadpans.

He's funny and totally down to earth, which makes him an engaging host and guide for the eight-episode series.

It's 1890 in London, two years after the last known murder perpetrated by Jack the Ripper. But the citizens of Whitechapel still are reeling. Detectives have failed to find him, and many East Enders believe it's just a matter of time before the killer strikes again.